Read our article and find out what to do if a dishwasher is clogged.
After loading the dishes and turning on the “Start” key, did you hear that the dishwasher is buzzing, but does not fill the water? Or did the machine start a wash cycle, but at the drainage stage it stopped and refused to dump the waste water? Urgent action must be taken to fix the problem. Most often, blockages in the system become the cause.
Types of blockages and their causes
If the PMM does not drain or fill, the cause may be a blockage. Depending on the brand of dishwasher - “Bosch”, “Siemens”, “Ariston”, “Indesit”, Veko - an error code may appear on the display. Code decryption indicates a problem that needs to be found and resolved.
If no error is displayed on the scoreboard, you will have to look for the cause of the problem on your own. First you need to determine the type of blockage: external or internal.
External factors:
- The sewer system, pipes or the junction of the drain hose with the sewer are clogged.
- The siphon is clogged (when connected through it). With poor patency of the siphon, water can hardly escape from the sink. This may serve as an additional sign for verification.
- Kinked, twisted the drain hose. This happens if the connection is incorrect. The hose may have been transferred by a foreign object.
What to do in this case? Check that the drain system is connected correctly. Shut off the water supply, disconnect and install the hose correctly, without kinks. Also disconnect its end from the sewer and clean the blockage with special tools. Remember to check and clean the siphon.
Hair Ball Clog in Drain Pipe
An internal blockage appears if you have poorly cleaned the dishes before loading them into the camera. Pieces of food, parts of napkins, and toothpicks flow into the pan with water. If the dishes break when washing, then the fragments also penetrate the filter and drain.
What parts can become clogged with garbage:
- Drain filter. It serves as a barrier behind which the impeller of the pump and the pump itself are hidden. Water passes through the filter so that the water goes into the drain or again begins to circulate through the chamber. Therefore, it is recommended to clean twice a month. Better yet, check the filter after each wash.
- Spray. Water is supplied by the circulation pump to the sprayer, from where it flies out under pressure from nozzles (holes). Nozzles clog - water does not flow, the system gives an error or stops operation.
- The drain is clogged. If the filter fails, the remaining food enters further into the pump, the drain hose. To remove foreign objects, an article on how to disassemble a dishwasher will come in handy. We will also describe the sequence of work in this publication.
- Intake filter At the entrance to the filler valve, there is a fine mesh that stops large particles of debris from the water supply, and rust. Over time, the part becomes clogged and needs to be cleaned.
How to clean parts and eliminate clogging
To solve problems with sewage, you can call a repairman or do it yourself. For example:
- clean the contaminated area with a thin brush on the wire;
- disconnect the siphon and rinse it with water;
- add special powder and use a plunger.
What to choose is up to you. You also need to clean the drain hose: under pressure from a tap or mechanically (using a brush).
Internal problems will have to devote more time. Consider how to clean the filter from clogging.
Drain filter
Before starting work, disconnect the PMM from the network, turn off the water supply. Proceed as follows:
- Open the camera door.
- Pull out the bottom basket.
- Unscrew the filter and the metal mesh from the pan.
- Rinse under the tap. In addition, you can use a non-rigid brush and a toothpick, for particularly difficult dirt.
Remove water from the container in the pan with a sponge. Remove the pump flapper. Pull the cover to the side and then towards yourself. Additionally, you may need to unscrew the screws. Check impeller for blockage. If everything is in order, then inspect the pump and its parts.
Drain pump
You need to take the dishwasher apart to get to the pump. Remove all baskets from the camera. Pull the machine out of the way and place it “on its back”. Then do this:
- Loosen the screws or unfasten the latches of the bottom cover (bottom).
- A float sensor can be mounted on the back of the bottom.
- Carefully loosen the mounting bolt and unfasten the wiring.
- Having gained access to the circulation unit, you will notice that a pump is attached to the side.
- Unscrew her screw.
- Disconnect the wiring chips.
We recommend photographing or filming your actions. So it will be easier for you to assemble the car back.
- Turn the pump and remove from place. Check the holes for clogging.
Additionally, you can inspect the remaining parts, hoses, pipes.
Spray
Everything is simple here:
- The lower beam is located near the drain filter.
- Scroll it and remove it from the seat. In some models, you may need to press the tabs.
- Rinse the part with water. In addition, nozzles are cleaned with a toothpick.
Remember to inspect the top sprayer and its openings. Sometimes scum accumulates in the holders to which the sprinkler is attached.
Intake filter
The mesh can be cleaned by disconnecting the inlet hose from the PMM body. If the part is clogged with scum, put it in water for a while with the addition of citric acid. It is recommended to clean the mesh at least once every six months.
How to avoid problems
Adhering to the rules of operation can prevent malfunctions. What do we have to do:
- It is good to clean appliances from food debris.
- Clean the dishwasher regularly.
- Clean the drainage filter twice a month, and a bulk filter every six months.
- Descale parts. Use special salt.
- Dry the hopper after a wash cycle.
So you can fix problems with your own hands, as well as prevent their occurrence. A video on the topic will help you: